Thursday, May 17, 2012

Know the Signs of Drowning

Do you think you would know if your child was drowning? You
might be surprised. Drowning doesn’t look or sound the way you expect it to.
There is often no splashing, screaming, or waving of hands. Drowning can be a
silent killer.

About
375 children drown each year within 25 yards of their parent. In some of these
cases,

according to the Centers for Disease Control, the parent is watching the
child, but misses the signs of drowning. As a parent, you need to be
aware of the warning signs that your child may be drowning.

When
a child is drowning, the respiratory system focuses on breathing first, so it
may be impossible for him or her to call out for help. A drowning child is not
likely to wave for help either. Their arms will probably be extended laterally
in order to press down on the surface of the water. Their arms are therefor too
busy to wave.

It
may even seem that a drowning child is taking in breaths, because his or her
mouth will often go above and below the water. Drowning also occurs very
rapidly. It may take just 20 to 60 seconds of struggling before a child’s body
submerges below the water.

Other
signs to look out for:

Hyperventilating
or gasping

Head
low in the water, mouth at water level or head tilted back with mouth open.

Legs
not moving

Glassy
or unfocused eyes

Watching your child while he or she is in the water is
not enough; you also have to watch for the signs of drowning.